Circular knitting machines



Get. 11, 1966 "r. A. OLIVER. JR

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 26, 1963 2 4 w 4 .IIIIIIIIIII' g 3 F m l g M W mm m W lnnou hn H w 6 3 my v. 7 NJ 6 I 2 2 Jiw INVENTOR. THOMASAA/DEKSON O1. IVE/Q Jk.

14 TTORNE) O t- 11, 1966 T. A. OLIVER. JR 3,277,672

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR BY UOMW m A TTORNE Y THO/V145 ANDERSON 01 /VR,JR,

United States Patent C 3,277,672 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Thomas Anderson Oliver, Jr., 119 Cedar St., Jenkintown, Pa. Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,945 1 Claim. (CI. 66-14) The present invention relates generally to the art of knitting and more particularly to fabric tensioning means for hosiery machines of the type having superimposed or double cylinders adapted to rotate and to reciprocate during the knitting operations. It also relates particularly to terry or pile formed cushion sole hosiery in the provision of means to insure the proper formation of the terry fabric and to methods of knitting the same.

The above type of machine is provided with a pair of winding take-up rolls, spaced from the knitting level, to tension the hose fabric and with an internal star member disposed to act between said knitting level and said takeup rolls, the star member being movable vertically a limited distance within the lower cylinder in engagement with an within the heel and toe pockets of the hose fabric to apply auxiliary tension to their side of the fabric, such extra tension being limited by the limited extent of the vertical movement of the star member. The action of star members of this type is explained in United States Patent No. 1,885,322 to Bently.

In the formation of the terry fabric portions of cushion sole hosiery, as made upon the above type of machine, it is the practice to split-feed a base yarn and a terry yarn to the needles in such manner that the terry yarn is fed over and the base yarn is fed under a series of pile or terry forming members, the latter alternating with the needles. The needles then knit fabric wherein both yarns form plated stitches in the needle wales; the terry yarn forms elongated sinker wales to provide the terry loops; and the base yarn forms normally shaped sinker wales. The terry fabric may be made all around the hose, as in the ring toe when a full circle of pile forming members is made active, or it may be made for one half of the hose, as in the sole with a non-terry instep when a half circle only of the pile forming members is made active, and in the latter instance the instep fabric is normal plated fabric of the two yarns. The sinkers of the machine normally act upon the yarn to aid in the stitch formation, however, due to the elongation of the terry yarn by the pile forming members, the sinkers are unable to act thereon even though they are able to act upon the base yarn. Terry fabric produced with no sinker control of the terry yarn is objectionable in that there may be mis-plating of the two yarns, the terry loops may extend outwardly from the right side of the hose, and the rising needles may pass through the terry yarn portions of the plated stitches cast off by the needles instead of passing outside of such stitches. It has been found that application of proper tension to the hose during the knitting of the terry portions thereof will improve the same. It has been found that auxiliary sinkerlike control of the terry yarn during the knitting thereof will improve the terry portions of the hose.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a double cylinder machine with means to increase the traverse of its star member to thereby increase the extent of its fabric tensioning application. The present invention provides means whereby such star member may be air-moved in one or in both of its directions of travel, its upward air-movement permitting it to yield should obstructions be met while its downward air-movement applies readily adjustable yielding tension on the fabric.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of knitting cushion sole hose on a circular knitting machine wherein auxiliary tension is applied to the sole side of the foot of the hose during its manufacture to improve the terry stitch formation thereof.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of knitting terry fabric of a base and of a terry yarn on a circular knitting machine wherein auxiliary sinker-like control of the terry yarn is provided during the stitch formation thereof. The present invention provides for a stream of air to be directed upon the terry yarn during its knitting to move the same radially inward relative to the cylinder of the machine.

The above and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and from the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cushion sole hose which may be produced by the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of a double cylinder knitting machine showing a single acting air cylinder of the present invention to raise the star member of said machine.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 2 and omitting the machine itself, showing a double acting air cylinder of the present invention to raise and to lower the star member.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the action of the star member in applying tension to the sole side of the foot of the hose during its formation.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the formation of terry stitch fabric on a double cylinder knitting machine.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 5, showing another step in the formation of terry fabric stitches with air control of the terry yarn.

A cushion sole hose which may be made with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 at 10, the said hose having a top 11, leg 12, upper heel 13, heel pocket 14, instep 15, sole 16, ring toe 17 and toe pocket 18. In the hose 10, the upper heel, the heel, the sole, ring toe and the toe are of terry stitch formation with its pile loops on the inside of the hose wherein the pile loops form the cushioned portions thereof. It may be noted that while the hose is generally referred to as a cushion sole hose, in addition to its sole it also has a cushion upper heel, heel, ring toe and toe.

One form of control for the star member is shown in FIG. 2 wherein 19 represents the upper cylinder of a double cylinder machine, the cylinder 19 being adapted to rotate and to reciprocate when knitting the hose. The star member 20, shown in its upper inactive position at the lower end of cylinder 19, is fixedly attached to the lower end of a vertically movable elongated rod 21 and is adapted to rotate and to reciprocate with the cylinders and also to move vertically relative thereto when the rod 21 is raised and lowered.

A vertically extending single acting air cylinder 22 is provided to move rod 21, the air cylinder being suitably secured in upright position upon and to one side of the upper plate 23 of the machine. The piston of cylinder 22 is connected to a piston rod 24 (in its uppermost position in FIG. 2) the upper end of which is fixedly secured to the center portion of upper cross head guide member 25, the latter having vertically depending parallel guide rods 26, 26 also fixedly secured thereto at the ends thereof. The lower ends of rods 26, 26 are fixedly secured to and at spaced portions of lower cross head guide member 27, the latter being provided with a tubularly shaped guide 28 encircling cylinder 22. An extending end 29 of member 27 is suitably apertured to permit rod 21 to pass freely therethrough. A suitable weight 30 is secured to rod 21 above member 27. The connected cross head members 25 and 27 serve to guide the piston rod vertically as the tubular member 28 traverses the cylinder 22.

To raise piston rod 24 and the star member 20 via rod 21 and extension 29 to the position of FIG. 2, the cylinder 22 is provided at its lower end with an air inlet 31 to which one end of a tube 32 is connected, the other end being connected to a valve 33, suitably mounted on plate 23, by means of which compressed air may be controlled to enter into and to be exhausted from the cylinder 22. The valve 33 is provided with an operating button 34 adapted to be actuated by a two-position vertically movable control rod 35, the latter being controlled in usual manner from the pattern drum of the machine. After the star member 20 has been raised, it is kept there by air pressure until its action is desired at which time air is exhausted from cylinder 22 and the piston rod and parts associated therewith descend to a lowermost level indicated by the dotted line position of member 27. The star member 20, under influence of weight 30, then descends in engagement with the fabric as the knitting proceeds until its action is no longer desired at which time it is again raised to the position of FIG. 2.

A second form of means to move the star member is shown in FIG. 3 wherein a vertically extending inverted double acting air cylinder 36 is provided to move rod 21' to the lower end of which a star member is attached. The cylinder 36 is supported in spaced relation to and axially of the upperplate 23 of-the machine by being fixedly attached to the center portion of the cross bar of an inverted U-shaped support member 37, the latter having its legs suitably secured to the upper face of plate 23'.

The cylinder 36 has a piston rod 38 the lower end of which is operatively related to the upper end of rod 21' by means of an open yoke 39. The lower end of rod 38 is fixedly secured to the upper side of yoke 39 while the upper end of rod 21 extends upwardly and freely through a suitable aperture in the lower side of yoke 39 to the opening thereof wherein a collar 40 is fixedly secured to the said rod 21'. In this manner, while the rod 21 may be raised and lowered by the action of piston rod 38 (which does not rotate) it is free to rotate and to reciprocate with the machine. The rods 38 and 21' are shown raised to their uppermost positions in FIG. 3, being held there by compressed air action in the cylinder 36. The cylinder 36 is provided with a lower air inlet 41 and an upper air inlet 42 and with suitable tubing 43, 44 individually interposed between the inlets and a double acting valve 45 by means of which compressed air may be controlled to enter into and to be exhausted from both ends of the cylinder 36. A vertically movable rod 35', similar in action to rod 35 of FIG. 1, is adapted to actuate an operating button 46 of valve 45 as dictated by the pattern drum of the machine. An adjustable air reduction valve 47 is incorporated in the air line 44 in order to be able to vary the flow of air to the upper inlet 42 of the cylinder to separately control the amount of downwardly acting air pressure on the rods 38 and 21 and on the star member in fabric contact.

While the various parts of the apparatus are shown broken off in FIGS. 2 and 3 (to conserve drawing space), the preferred lengthwise dimensions of the cylinders 22 and 36 and their associated parts is such that the star member 20, after engagement within the heel pocket of a hose, preferably may be able to descend in tensioning fabric engagement at least until the ring toe of the foot of the hose is made. With such an arrangement the star member may also be made to descend for any lesser distances, as when it is in fabric tensioning engagement within the toe pocket of the hose. It should be noted that the yieldable air lifting of star member 20 will avoid any smash-ups of the machine due to fabric or yarns being caught above or on the star, as may be the case when the machine is not functioning properly. Also that the amount of air imposed fabric tension may be readily varied as desired, even when the machine is in operation, by means of the valve 47.

The improved method of knitting the cushion sole hose may be understood in connection with FIG. 4 wherein the star 20 is shown in fabric tensioning engagement within the heel pocket 14, the tension being either weight applied as in FIG. 2 or air applied as in FIG. 3. Due to and after the formation of heel pocket 14, the fabric tension exerted at the knit level of needles N during rotary knitting by the usual winding take-up rollers (not shown) is less on the sole 16 side than it is on the instep 15 side of the hose foot. The star 20 provides auxiliary tension on the sole side of the foot and when hose without a cushion sole is made, the star need only be and is only in action for a relatively short time after the heel formation. However, when cushion sole hose are being made, it is preferable to have auxiliary tension applied to the sole side during the entire foot formation at least up to the start of the ring toe 17. The terry stitch knitting is more critical than regular knitting and is greatly improved with constant tension thereon of the proper amount at the knit level on needles N and this is not obtained when the star is removed from action shortly after the heel pocket is made. With the present apparatus, the amount of fabric tension on the sole side of the foot during terry knitting may, within certain practical limits, be adjusted independently of the fabric tensioning effect of the regular winding take-up rollers of the machine for the full length of the foot, and this provision permits the application of such tension as will enable satisfactory terry fabric to be made.

The knitting of the terry fabric may be described in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6 where a terry yarn T and a base yarn B are formed into stitches by needles N, the sinker portions of the terry yarn being elongated 'by being drawn over forward extending bits 48 of pile forming members 49 while the sinker portions of the base yarn are normally formed. In FIG. 5 the needle N is at the bottom of its stroke, having cast off a previously formed plated stitch of yarns B and T (T-1 indicating the terry yarn portion of this stitch), and having drawn a stitch of yarns B and T, the sinker portion of the latter yarn being in relatively straight elongated position over one of the bits 48. As needle N begins its next upward movement there will be slack in the elongated sinker portions of the yarn T. At this time the normal sinker action takes place on the normally formed sinker portions of yarn B to move the latter (and its stitches on both sides thereof) inwardly of the machine so that (in conjunction with the normal take-up action) the needles N may rise on the outside of the last stitches of yarn B cast off and thus not pierce the same. However, due to the elongation of the sinker wales of yarn T, the sinkers have no contact therewith and thus have no direct effect upon stitches formed of this yarn. Of course, the inward sinker movement on the sinker wales of yarn B may have some indirect inwardly moving eifect on the terry yarn stitches since these are plated on the base yarn stitches and may be moved therewith, however, it frequently happens that they are not moved far enough and then the stitch of the T-l portion of the terry yarn will remain over the needle N to be pierced thereby when this needle rises.

To avoid such undesirable piercing of the terry yarn stitches, an air blast is directed at the slackening elongated sinker wales of terry yarn as the needles begin to rise, as at 50 in FIG. 6, the action of the air being generally similar to the normal sinker action in that it has an inwardly moving effect upon the sinker wales of yarn T to move them and their adjacent stitches inwardly of the machine to thereby avoid the rising needles and to form proper plating with the base yarn. The subsequent steps in the formation of the terry stitches are normal and are not described.

I claim:

In a circular hosiery fabric knitting machine of the type having an upper and a lower rotary needle cylinder, having an upper plate disposed above said upper needle cylinder, having a fabric tensioning member movable upwardly and downwardly within said lower cylinder to and from an inactive position of the same above said lower cylinder, the said member being mechanically secured to a vertically movable shaft positioned axially of said upper needle cylinder and extending above said upper plate, the said shaft being positively rotationally movable with said upper cylinder at all times, an air cylinder supported by said machine in operative position relative to said upper plate and having a rotationally fixed air operated piston and piston rod therein with the latter mechanically related to said shaft to move the same vertically to raise said member upwardly to its said inactive position, the said member thereafter being permitted to move downwardly to tension the fabric being knit; the said piston rod and the said shaft being related as aforesaid during said upward and downward movements as well as when it is in its said inactive position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Bentley et a1. 66-150 X Moessinger 139-127 Williams 66-147 X Nyhuis 66-125 Hilker et a1. 66-125 Oberholtzer 66-146 X Shelmire 66-146 X Tew 66-149 Hill 66-9 Hill 66-9 Saunders 66-91 X Landry 66-150 Hill 66-9 Walrabenstein 66-108 Kienel 66-149 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner. R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

